Bill Tieleman is one of BC's best known communicators, political commentators and strategists.
Bill is a political panelist regularly on CBC Radio and TV in BC and with other media.
Bill has been Communications Director in the B.C. Premier's Office and at the BC Federation of Labour.
Bill owns West Star Communications, a consulting firm providing strategy and communication services for labour, business, non-profits and government.

Saturday, April 09, 2011

I was deeply saddened to learn that Tom Cameron-Fawkes suddenly passed away on April 5 at the age of just 63 years.

Tom was a dedicated unionist who in his long career worked for the IWA, the BC Federation of Labour and the United Food and Commercial Workers union local 1518.

But Tommy was much more than a veteran communication director for unions - he was a former disc jockey at several radio stations in the US and Canada, an outspoken advocate for social justice - especially for children who were exploited for their labour in horrible conditions in countries that fail to respect basic human rights.

Tom was a powerful speaker with a great voice - and a hilarious raconteur of stories both profound and occasionally, well, ribald, in nature!

Tom was reknowned by thousands of labour activists over many years as the "Choir Judge" at the Canadian Labour Congress' Winter School in Harrison Hot Springs each winter - where each class would put together a song to impress their fellow students - and Tom would take it apart with arch humour to much hilarity.

My sympathies go out to his wife Deb and all his family and many, many friends.

Tom has left the building far too soon - rest in peace, brother, rest in peace.

A private family service will be followed by a public celebration of Tom's life, to be announced later.

The family is requesting donations to Vancouver's Covenant House - an organization that supports street youth be made in Tom's name.

Here is the full obituary - published in the Vancouver Sun newspaper today.

* * * * *

CAMERON-FAWKES, Tom

With profound sorrow, we announce the sudden passing of Tom Cameron-Fawkes on April 5, 2011, at the age of 63.

He is survived by his loving wife and best friend, Deb; his father, Norman Fawkes; brother Wally; and children Michael, David and his wife Sara, and Vanessa Guild.

Trade unionist, communicator, activist, advocate, powerful orator, adoring husband, devoted father, passionately loyal friend, generous mentor, with a sense of humour large enough to match his prodigious presence: the imprint he leaves on the world can hardly be measured.

As strategist and ringmaster for 35 years of campaigns to secure rights and dignity for every member of society, Tom made lasting impressions on people from all walks of life. He began his professional career working as a CFUN DJ at the ridiculous age of 16. Ten years in broadcasting took him to Seattle (KJR) and Los Angeles (KROQ-FM, at the dawn of the FM era), Whitehorse, Yukon, and Trail, BC, where he would meet the future president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

His nearly-successful effort to unionize his workplace ended his career in radio, and began a stellar career as a labour communicator.

Counting Ginger Goodwin among his grandparents' friends, he came by his passion for social justice naturally. He worked with the estimable Jack Munro as director of communications for the IWA, and later took the same title for the BC Federation of Labour.

Tom's political instincts were legendary, and his advice was sought on and off the record. His abiding respect for frontline workers in every industry was warm and unpretentious, from his favourite Szechwan diner to cruise ships traversing the Panama Canal.

Tom made friends wherever he went. In the early nineties, Tom took on the Communications Department for the 26,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1518, representing supermarket, retail, industrial and community healthcare workers province-wide.

In both professional and personal life he advocated for the empowerment of women and spoke out at every opportunity against the exploitation of children.

Tom was a generous and gifted mentor to many within and outside the labour movement - and equally, an outrageous comic and raconteur, much of which is not fit to print. He showed no mercy to pretense or self-importance.

At the same time, his loyalty to friends and colleagues was unshakeable, and his honesty blunt and refreshing. With a heart as big as all outdoors, compassion was his greatest quality, informing all his life and work.

His creativity stretched from communications to photography to his renowned gourmet cooking. Upon his retirement in 2007, Tom and Deb took to exploring the world via cruise ship, a new shared passion, from Alaska to the Amazon.

Tom's was a life of imagination and accomplishment, friendship and really, really great laughs.

Our time with him was too short, and he will be deeply missed by too many admirers to count.

"I am just an ordinary guy...and that is all I ever want to be". Sorry, Tom - you were anything but.

The family will hold a private service of remembrance, and a public celebration of his life will take place at a later date, to be announced.

4 comments:

After the strike at CKLG and the eventual dissolution of Local 686 Tom was a dominant figure in helping me find a new life outside broadcasting. He was a good man and understood the word loyalty when it mattered most.

I went through the CLC Winter School about 10 years ago and was on the receiving end of Tom's scything wit. A year or so later I heard him speak on the plight of child prostitutes around the world, and specifically in Vancouver; very disconcerting for this sheltered one.

Tom was my Brother in Law and he sure will be missed. Tom was quite the guy and I will miss listening to Tom talk about his trips , food , and life with Deb.Loved his travel blogs ! His sense of humor and wit will be missed . We always had a fun time when Tom was around. He sure loved people. We all appreciated how Tom looked after Deb and made her so happy ! We all share a lot of good memories of Tom. After the service at Mountain View it was comforting to know that Tom's caring and love for Deb will be passed on to his family and friends and Deb will never be alone. My condolences to Tom's family and good friends.

Bill Tieleman and Senator Larry Campbell, former Vancouver mayor

Jim Sinclair, Cindy Oliver, Ken Georgetti and Bill Tieleman

Bill Tieleman's coverage of the Basi-Virk/BC Legislature Raid Case praised by other journalists:

"This outstanding piece of journalism, in The Tyee, is the work of a journalist who has been deeply involved with this issue from the start and this article should be passed on as far and wide as possible."

"Bill Tieleman from 24 hours . . . . If you want to know about this trial and about this case, you have to read his blog – I mean, that’s just all there is to it – it’s required reading if you want to understand the BC Legislature Raid situation."

- Mike Smyth, columnist, The Province

"The Basi-Virk case....you’ve probably sat through more of these hearings and gone through more of the files and written about it than any other journalist in the province."

- Bill Good, host, The Bill Good Show, CKNW/Corus Radio Network

"Tieleman ...has done a first-rate job covering the trial."

- Paul Willcocks, columnist, the Victoria Times-Colonist

"Tieleman, who marries a considerable journalistic talent with one of the smartest political minds in the province, has been writing more web-exclusive material. And his coverage of the Basi-Virk trial is a must-read -- whether you're an insider or an outsider."

"24 Hours, the Vancouver paper that has been leading the coverage, as well as the hints of conspiracy in B.C."

- Norman Spector, columnist, Globe and Mail

"Although the major media in this circumstance has been giving the case significant coverage, Tieleman's reports on his blog have been outstanding.

The entire cut and thrust of legal wrangling and arguments has been covered and is accompanied by considered analysis.....His blog site coverage of the Basi-Virk trial is the most in depth treatment of one of British Columbia's biggest political scandals."

- Bill Bell, columnist, The North Shore News

"Mr. Tieleman has published online dispatches which, freed from the limitations of newsprint space or broadcast time, can run at length. They also remain available for those select readers who become obsessed with a case also known as Railgate.....

In another bizarre twist to a story with no shortage of them, Mr. Tieleman went to work one day in December only to discover his office had been ransacked. Bookcases had been tipped over and papers strewn, but nothing was missing.

To top it off, a press kit for the self-published novel The Raid, written by a retired military officer in Metchosin and featuring on its cover a photograph from the 2003 police raid, had been left in a conspicuous place."

- Tom Hawthorn, columnist, The Globe and Mail

Nobody has followed the Basi-Virk affair over its past five years with greater diligence than local journalist, Bill Tieleman....Tieleman deserves our thanks, a fistful of journalism awards and some merit citation for citizenship.